Staheli, Simmons join school board; bring years of education experience to the table

Written by Nick Yamashita
January 15, 2023

ST. GEORGE — Two new members of the Washington County School District Board took their places at the first monthly public meeting of the year Tuesday.

New school board: (L to R) Larry Bergeson, Burke Staheli, Terry Hutchinson, Nannette Simmons, Becky Dunn, Larene Cox, Craig Seegmiller, David Stirland and Brent Bills, St. George, Utah, Jan. 3, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Washington County School District, St. George News

Burke Staheli and Nannette Simmons were sworn in and then went to work on new discussion issues including the budget, insurance policies and classroom materials, among other agenda items.

Staheli won the election against former board president Kelly Blake for District 6, while Simmons took over for Laura Hess, who resigned from District 7.

District 6 covers all of Washington City and the western parts of Hurricane. District 7 covers St. George areas, including Sunset, Dixie Downs Drive and Diagonal Street.

There were two other changes on the board: the new board president is Becky Dunn, and the new vice-president is David Stirland.

All four board members were sworn in to their new positions at an earlier special meeting on Jan. 3.

“I want to welcome Nannette and Burke in,” Dunn said. “We are grateful to have them on our team and … their willingness to serve.”

Burke Staheli

Staheli grew up locally, attending Dixie High School and graduating from Southern Utah University with a degree in English. He earned his master’s degree in education from Utah State University with a principal’s endorsement.

He has served within the district for over 30 years as a teacher, coach, administrator and principal. He was the Washington Area Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year for 2022.

He retired in 2021, his final post assignment as principal at Riverside Elementary.

His hobbies are backpacking, running marathons and building his own cabin.

“After serving for 33 years as both a teacher and a principal in the school district,” Staheli said, “I felt like I had the time and the experience to be an asset to the Washington County School District.

“My goal is to be a proactive, positive advocate for the students, the educators and the parents of our area. I am looking forward to helping our district continue on a ‘northeast’ trajectory of success.”

New school board members Burke Staheli and Nannette Simmons were sworn in during a special meeting, St. George, Utah, Jan. 3, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Washington County School District, St. George News

Nannette Simmons

Simmons worked in the Davis County School District in Northern Utah for 16 years. She served as a teacher, district mentor for teachers, assistant principal and elementary school principal. She has won multiple awards and honors including being designated as an Exemplary Principal.

She and her husband moved to Southern Utah six years ago and said she continues to be passionate about education. She has kept her administrator license current as part of her plan to be a lifelong learner. She is currently a volunteer as the co-chair of the Primary Children’s Corporate and Community Relations Board.

“I am honored to be serving the community as a member of the Washington County School Board,” Simmons said. “I will help ensure high levels of learning for every student and promise to listen intently to students, parents, teachers, administrators and the superintendency as I strive to do what is best for our students.”

Both actively took part in the discussion of agenda items within the meeting, asking questions and giving their views with smiles on their faces.

They were given a few minutes to introduce themselves and express their thanks to community members and the other school board members. When the meeting ended, they said they are eager and energetic for the upcoming year.

“I have the time, I have the energy, I have the work ethic and I have the experience to make a difference in the education of our children,” Staheli said. “I’m excited to get to work.”

The next monthly school board meeting is Feb. 14 at 4:30 p.m. at the Washington County School District Office located at 121 W. Tabernacle Street.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Yamashita has extensive experience reporting for small town media, covering a variety of subjects and events for The Virgin River Times and The Progress in Southern Nevada. Before a career in journalism, he worked a variety of jobs in criminal justice systems. Yamashita holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University. He is an award-winning photographer and writer. He has been published in scholarly articles and poetry compilations. In his spare time, he practices and teaches martial arts.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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